


Birthday Fics

by Deviant_Donghun



Series: Sanders Sides One Shots [2]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:54:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26896285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deviant_Donghun/pseuds/Deviant_Donghun
Summary: No, Patton didn't open Deceit's gift in the story. I wanted to leave it up to the reader as to what he gave him. If you aren't happy with that, please leave a comment and I will reveal what he gave him in Deceit's birthday story next month.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Logic | Logan Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders/Logic | Logan Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders, Everyone & Everyone
Series: Sanders Sides One Shots [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1962379
Kudos: 20





	1. Patton's Birthday Breakfast

Patton woke with a song in his heart. He dressed quickly, smiling as he played some happy music quietly. Once finished, he transferred it to his cat paw headphones and went down to make breakfast. It was a quiet morning with no one else around. He danced around the kitchen as he prepared blueberry pancakes for the whole group. He could hear Thomas humming to the tune of the music as he made his own breakfast, allowing himself a lazy morning. 

Once most of the pancakes were done, Patton finally tuned back into the rest of the house and found Logan sitting at the table, working on something on his laptop. He seemed to be fully dressed, already having his hair combed back nicely and his tie perfectly done. 

Virgil was sitting on the stairs in the place he usually stands for their problem solving sessions. He was leaning against the wall, hood pulled up and a wire snaking out of it, letting Patton know that he was listening to music as well.

Roman was nowhere in sight but Patton was sure he would come down soon. Roman almost never missed breakfast. When he did, it was because he had been up late, working in the Imagination. 

Patton smiled as he took one earbud out. He could hear Thomas’ humming just a bit clearer now. He brought the plate of pancakes over to the table, making sure to put them in the middle but away from Logan and his laptop.

Logan looked up from what he was working on long enough to acknowledge Patton’s existence with a simple, “ Good morning, Patton.” 

Patton smiled at him before going back into the kitchen to grab the syrup and butter. While in the cabinets grabbing the syrup, he decided to grab the peanut butter too. He brought the things out and set them on the table, making sure to put the peanut butter across the table and out of Logan’s reach as he was the only one of the bunch who was allergic to the stuff. 

Once the table was set, he went to the stairs and sat next to Virgil, waiting for his attention. After he got it, he brushed the hood away from Virgil’s face without taking it off his head entirely. “Breakfast time, Storm cloud,” he said.

Virgil nodded and went to sit at the table. Patton continued up the stairs until he was standing in front of Roman’s door. He knocked quietly, waiting for the creative side to open it or give an invitation for entrance. When he didn’t hear one after a minute or two, Patton cracked the door open. He was met with the sight of Roman lying face down on his bed, fast asleep. Patton smiled as he intruded into the room just enough to take off Roman’s sash, turn his head so he wasn’t face-planted into his pillow (even if the sides didn’t technically need to breathe), and pulled the covers up over him. 

He closed the door behind him before continuing down the hallway to the end, where Remus and Deceit’s rooms had been recently added on. He knocked on Remus’s door first, being met with an immediate response, Remus pulled the door open before draping himself across the jamb. “Yeeeeesss?”

“I just wanted you to know that breakfast is on the table and you are free to come and eat whenever you want it. Most of us are going to eat in a few minutes if you want to join us.”

Remus seemed to think about it. “Thank you, I do believe I will come down and torment the rest of you.”

Patton smiled, already used to his antics, and moved on to Deceit’s room across the hall. Knocking, he was met with a quiet hiss before the door opened. Deceit’s hair was tangled up and his hat was placed haphazardly on his head. He looked as if he had just woken up. Patton repeated his invitation.

“No, I don’t think I will. I won’t be down in two minutes. Don’t wait for me.”

Patton nodded, knowing Deceit liked to speak that way. “See you in two minutes.”

He checked on Roman again before going back downstairs, finding that Remus had already taken a seat at the table and Logan already looked done with him.

Patton took his own seat, quietly expanding the table to add in an extra chair and room for it. None of the others batted an eye at that. Patton smiled at the others. “How did you all sleep?”

Logan had put his laptop on the couch and was doling out the forks and knives. “I got to sleep at the proper time, ensuring that I am now well rested for today, ready to take on any task Thomas sets me to.”

Virgil looked up from the game he was playing on his phone. “Sleep? Who’s that? Are we supposed to know him?”  
Logan sighed. “Yes, Virgil, you are supposed to get seven to eight hours of sleep per night.” He retreated back into the kitchen to grab the silverware for the extra place setting. 

“I know that. Telling me that everyday doesn’t change the fact that I have no circadian rhythm. I got maybe one or two hours of sleep last night. Mostly, I was just going over all the potential things that could have happened and wondering if Thomas’ friends will all end up successful while Thomas ends up homeless.”

“You do realize that is not as possible as you think it is, right?”

Virgil sighed. “You also realize that my whole thing is that I take that thing with the one percent occurrence rate and magnifying it to seeming as if it were almost certain to occur, right?”

Logan just shook his head, giving up. Patton looked at Remus, sitting in Roman’s usual spot. “So, how did you sleep last night?”

“Oh, you know, in the buff.” 

Patton sighed, wondering if anyone was capable of having a normal conversation with this side. “I meant, how _well_ did you sleep last night?”

“OH, well that’s an entirely different matter. I slept fine with the usual visions of chaos dancing in my head.”

By this time, Deceit came down, his clothes no longer rumpled and his hat put on right. To Patton’s surprise, he had a wrapped box in hand. “Don’t expect anything good out of this.” He said as he put it next to Patton’s place mat.

Patton was excited but he held out on the temptation to open it right then and there. Deceit sat down at the empty spot at the table. “By the way, a very angry birthday to you, Patton.”

Patton startled. Was it really his birthday already? He could have sworn it came later in the month. Leaning in his chair, he saw it on the calendar. Sure enough, January fourteenth stared back at him, edged in a squiggly lined border and drawn all over with hearts and having his birthday written on it. He sat back, letting out a small, “Huh.”

Logan didn’t bother with looking at the calendar, he practically _was_ the calendar. “Yes happy birthday, Morality. You have managed to survive another full rotation around the sun, you should be very proud of yourself.” Patton smiled, knowing it was a close to a compliment as Logan had come in a while.

Virgil looked up from the pancake he was slathering in peanut butter. “Wow, happy birthday, Pops. Hope you have a good one.”

“Thanks, Kiddo.”

The rest of the meal went by as one would expect when the different parts of a person ate breakfast together. Virgil ate quickly, as usual. However, instead of going back to his room or sitting on the couch as he normally did, he actually stayed and conversed with the rest of the sides for the rest of the time the others were eating. Deceit and Remus ate quickly but quietly, almost as if the pair were afraid of being sent away at any time.

Patton knew they both had good intentions and weren’t there to hurt Thomas in any way and his heart went out to them. He knew they tried their best to fit in with the rest of them and he almost wished they would stop. Not because he didn’t want them to fit in, but because he knew they were trying too hard. If they relaxed and were themselves, they would probably find their place in the group faster. 

Halfway through the meal, Roman stumbled down the stairs, looking like a half awake sleep zombie. He almost floated over to the table cartoon style. “Are those blueberry pancakes I smell?”

Patton laughed. “They are indeed.” He stood up and started gathering the discarded dishes. “Have a seat and have some, Roman.”

Virgil shot out of his chair and took the plates from Patton. “Today, I’m doing the dishes.”

Patton thanked him but still helped gather the rest of them. He followed Virgil into the kitchen.

“Hey, Storm cloud, how are you doing?” He asked quietly as they both placed the dishes next to the sink.

“Honestly? I’m having a rough day. I didn’t sleep much last night, so I feel like it’s heightened today. I really don’t want to disrupt Thomas’ day so I’m trying to stay out of everyone’s way. I’ll probably go back to my room after I’m done with this.” He filled the sink up with water and suds.

Patton rubbed his back. “I won’t judge if you need to blast your music through your headphones. Just try to keep in mind that what you are feeling right now is totally normal. It is nothing to be ashamed of. At the same time, remember that it is a temporary state of mind that will change in the near future. If you need some peace and quiet, feel free to go to my room. If nothing else, one of us can always find some mind consuming task for you to do. You’re not alone in this fight.” He patted his back before turning to walk away.

Virgil reached out and gave him a hug. “Thank you. I needed that.”

“No problem, Storm cloud. I’m always here for you.” Patton hugged him back, releasing when Virgil did.

He wandered back out to join the rest of the sides. Just sitting there in their company, he knew that it had already been the best birthday he could have had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, Patton didn't open Deceit's gift in the story. I wanted to leave it up to the reader as to what he gave him. If you aren't happy with that, please leave a comment and I will reveal what he gave him in Deceit's birthday story next month.


	2. The Anti-Birthday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters, only the words they speak and actions they commit within this work of fiction. Nothing said here is cannon within Sanders Sides itself. These are not the view and opinions of the fandom as a whole, simply a single fan.  
> (This is also outdated so don't judge for the backwards speak as I was trying something.)

Deceit woke the day after his birthday, feeling like a truck had hit him. He knew that most of the other Sides wouldn’t do anything for his birthday, he rarely did anything nice for theirs, but he didn’t expect Remus and Virgil to forget about him too. At the very least he had expected a nasty surprise from one of them. Instead, all he got was ignored.

He was grouchy the rest of the morning, not bothering to go down for breakfast or even put on his hat. He stayed in his room, emitting a toxic energy similar to the smell of sulfur. Slinking around the room, he thought up all kinds of scenarios of what they were doing down there without him. Maybe they were laughing at him, laughing at the fact that the fandom liked him enough to give him a birthday. Maybe they were laughing at the fact that they don’t think he even has a name, that all he is is his function, that he doesn’t deserve a name. Maybe they were talking about how he gave Patton a nice gift but they hadn’t even bothered to get him anything, not even the usual “I hate you” card Remus always gave him. 

He was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of a knock on his door. He brightened, bounding across the room to pull the door open, revealing Patton standing there. “Yessss?” He asked.

“Breakfast is ready if you want it.”

He sighed. “Yes, I’ll be right down.” He then slammed the door in Morality’s face and flopped face-down on his bed. 

He stayed that way, not feeling the need to pretend like he has to breathe. Eventually, he got up and wandered over to his terrarium that contained his albino boa constrictor. He pulled the snake out, allowing it to slither across his shoulders and around his neck. He walked around the room, going back to his pacing while stroking his snake’s head. 

What if they were complaining about how he almost always spoke the opposite of what he meant? Did they hate him for the way he spoke? Did they hate him for trying to help Thomas even if it wasn’t in the same way they did? 

He shook his head. Who was he, anxiety? He isn’t supposed to be the overthinking Side. He was supposed to be the Side that planned and schemed, the one that did what he had to to get what Thomas wanted, the one who was willing to use any means necessary to do what needed to be done. The one who lied even with his actions, causing Thomas to take shortcuts to get places faster, using underhanded methods to win the game, the one who cheated. 

So why did he still feel like this? Why did he feel left out but that he deserved to be left out? Why did he feel like he had just been abandoned by the only Sides who truly cared about him? Why, why, why? 

He finally decided that he needed to get some work done so he sat down at his desk, only to have someone knock on his door again. He groaned, picking up his hat and shoving it on his head as the door opened a crack.

“Deceit?” A voice called. “Are you in here?”

“No.”

“Good.” The door was pushed open to reveal Virgil standing there, hands in his hoodie pockets and hood pulled up. His eyeshadow seemed particularly dark. “Can I come in?”

Deceit sighed. “No.”

Virgil smiled and crept in, closing the door after him. “How are you doing?”

Deceit grimaced, deciding not to answer the question. 

Virgil sat on the edge of the bed. “That bad, huh? We’ve been pretty shitty to you, haven’t we?”

Deceit squinted at him. “How do you mean?” He decided he needed to talk like everyone else for this conversation. 

Virgil shrugged. “We didn’t celebrate your birthday, we ignored you all day instead.”

“Yeah, that was pretty shitty,” Deceit grumbled.

“Would it make it better if I say that we had a reason for it?”

“What reason would that be?”

Virgil smiled. “Joan declared February fourth ‘annual opposite day’. Thomas has to say the opposite of what he means all day. We thought you would enjoy it if that was changed to your birthday, but we Thomas never understood Patton’s attempts to tell him, Roman was staying out of this, Remus was annoying Roman, Logan doesn’t want anything to do with opposite speech anyways, and I was never given a chance to tell Thomas. So, it never changed. But, today is the day and Joan is coming over for a bit, so we need the master of opposite speech to help us.”

Deceit sat back in his chair, his brow furrowed. “So, you all ignored me all day, because you couldn’t tell me that my birthday was ruined in your eyes, right? That I didn’t have a use so I didn’t deserve to be talked to?”

Virgil sat up straighter, looking surprised “What? Is that what you think? Cause that isn’t it at all. We didn’t mean to ignore you, Dee, we were all just focused on trying to think up a backup present for you instead.”

“Don’t. Don’t give me that excuse. You just explained to me how everyone except for Patton and yourself didn’t want anything to do with this opposite speech thing and now you want to tell me that they ignored me for the same reason you did? No, don’t try to do that.”

Virgil looked as if Deceit had just slapped him, tears in his eyes. “Okay, so Patton was trying to think of a new present, Logan couldn’t care less, Roman was too busy playing in the Imagination to even think about anyone else, Remus was busy trying to find ways to annoy Roman, and I was dealing with an all day anxiety attack slash mental breakdown so bad, I’m surprised you didn’t hear it from your room.”

Deceit pointed to the way. “Soundproof. I was also too drowned in my misery to care.”

Virgil shook his head. “You know what? Never mind. We can handle this on our own. Sorry to disturb your moping.”

Deceit blocked the door before Virgil could open it. “Why do you think you are the only one who has problems? I was going around all day thinking that no one even bothered to remember my name, let alone my birthday. I thought that at _least_ you or Remus would remember my birthday, but you didn’t. He was finally able to break out of Patton’s prison for him and he stopped talking to the one person who visited him everyday, attaching himself to his twin as if they were inseparable again. And you, who I helped through innumerable panic attacks so bad the walls shake and Thomas is practically paralyzed. I thought you would at least acknowledge me, but I became the villain to you as soon as you found your new friends. So, don’t tell me you’re the only one with problems.” He was shouting by the end of that, panting for breath as if he just ran a 5k. 

Virgil stared at him. “I’m sorry for all of that. I never meant to hurt you. With any of this. It wasn’t meant to be like this. I lost track of who and what were important to me. You helped me through so many of my darkest times, and I can never repay you for it. Will you come down and help us now? Joan is almost here?”

Deceit thought it over, then nodded. “No, I don’t think I will.” 

Virgil smiled, both of them walking out the door. They passed Patton, who smiled at Virgil before ducking into his room. When they got down stairs, there was a big banner that said, “Happy Birthday, Dee.”

Deceit spun to look at Virgil. “Was there even an annual opposite day?”

He shook his head. “No, there wasn’t. Our reasons for ignoring you on your birthday are the same, though.”

Deceit clapped and hugged Virgil. “I have nothing more to teach you.”

Virgil pulled back. “Wait, you’re not mad?”

“Of course not, you deceived the deceiver. I’m proud of you.” He beamed at him.

Virgil laughed. “Okay then.”

The rest of the day was spent with Thomas speaking opposite, much to Joan’s confusion. They had just come over to talk about the next Sanders Sides episode but Deceit wasn’t having any of that. He had fun in his own way, and that was all that mattered to Virgil.

That night, Patton came down the stairs and presented Deceit with a box. Deceit looked at it, at Patton, at the box, at Patton. “What?”

“Take it. Open it later.”

“Ooooookay?’ He took the box upstairs and put it on his bed, opening it later that night. He had dinner with the rest of the Sides, Remus giving him the normal card that told Deceit he hated him. It had a heart with a knife sticking out of it drawn around the word _hate_. The heart was drawn realistically as always. Deceit smiled, thanking his best friend. It turned out, today wasn’t nearly as shitty as he thought it was going to be.


	3. Roman: A Tale of Self Discovery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this while listening to Tale of the Mountain by Spectral Heart on YouTube so it's heavily influenced by that. The Roceit can be seen as platonic or romantic.

Roman tore through his room, grabbing all the pages he had on his desk and wrapping them with twine, putting them and as many pens as he could grab at once into his bag. His squire stood at the door, the scroll still in his hand. In a flurry of motion, Roman strapped his sword belt on and picked up his shield, bag thrown over his shoulder.

“Aright, I think I’m ready. Do you have everything you need?” He asked the squire in front of him. 

“I think so. Shall I get the horses ready?”

Roman nodded. “Yes, that would be best.” He strode out of the room, going down the opposite corridor as his squire. He strode through the halls, searching for the one person who he actually wanted to talk to before he left.

Finding him, he crept into the room to surprise his twin brother. Remus stepped to the side at the last second, causing Roman to fall onto his face instead of pounce on the other’s back. Remus cackled. “Having fun, are we?”

Roman rolled onto his back. “Help me up, would you?”

Remus laughed but complied. “So, are you off?” The usually playful man was serious, face a mask of stone.

Roman nodded as he felt his own face settle into a similar mask. “As soon as the horses are ready. Are you sure you won’t go with me?”

Remus nodded. “Yes. Someone has to look after the kingdom while you are gone.”

“But Father is still alive, he’s the king.” Roman pointed out matter of factly.

“Of course. But someone has to make trouble to keep this place interesting. Besides, I don’t think Mother could handle both of us going to war at once.”

“I’m not going off to war. I’m just going to slay a dragon. I’ll be home before you know it.”

Remus slapped him on the back. “Then get going.”

Roman turned, gripping his brother’s forearms. “Take care of yourself, will you?”

Remus nodded, returning the grip briefly before shoving his brother away. “Alright, stop with the sap.” Roman nodded and left.

In a few minutes, he was off, galloping down the hill and toward the mountain. He let the horse run as fast as they wanted, giving it free rein. The mountain was a few weeks ride away from the castle and they spent the first two hours in silence as Roman enjoyed the feeling of riding for a long while. After they slowed a bit to conserve energy, he began recounting tales of past glory, battles hard fought and won.

The three weeks passed quickly as Roman sang tales in the day and wrote others at night. Soon, they were upon the mountain. For the most part, the horses were capable of traversing the terrain. However, they had to turn the horses back about halfway up as it got too steep for them. The knight prince and squire continued to climb the mountain on foot. 

It took them another half day to climb the mountain up to the cave it was said the dragon came from. They entered the cave, camping in the entrance for the night. In the morning, they ventured deeper. Roman looks for any sign of the dragon, eventually seeing a side tunnel with a scale sitting in it. Quietly, he pointed it out to the squire and they both went down the path, making sure to stay low. Eventually, they reached the end of the tunnel.

It opened out into a large chamber filled with treasure. Curled up on the piles of precious gems, suits of armor, splendid clothes, and many other things Roman was unable to see at the time, was a large dragon. It was an olive green with claws as long as Roman’s sword

The squire didn’t stop fast enough and stepped into a pile of gold coins, making a clatter before Roman could pull him back by the collar of his tunic. The dragon stirred, opening an eye to reveal an iris the color of molten gold. It reared its massive head until it was facing the knight prince and the squire. “Who are you? What do you want?” The voice boomed from the dragon, echoing off the caverns until it seemed to come from every nook and crevice.

Roman squared his shoulders, dropping the squire in favor of pulling his sword from its scabbard. “I am Prince Roman of Initiomagna! I have come to slay you, vile dragon!” 

The dragon almost seemed to sigh. “If that is your wish, I shall not go quietly.” Without warning, a claw swept within inches of Roman’s chest, causing him to throw up his shield instinctively.

The battle was on. Roman fell into familiar patterns of striking, retreating, blocking, deflecting, and moving. His feet moved on their own as he advanced, practically wading forward in the piles of riches that went unnoticed. He felt the adrenaline pumping through his veins and almost laughed as he felt more alive now than he had in years. It felt as if he had been drowning while at home but was now able to have his first breath of air in years.

The battle raged for hours, neither willing to give up and surrender, both knowing it would be to the death. As the hours waned, Roman could feel his strength slipping away. He could feel the fatigue settle into his bones, the adrenaline fading. He knew the battle was almost over, knew he would lose. Sure enough, claws came down and Roman was unable to bring his shield up in time, his sword piercing the dragon’s hide at the same time, seeming to go into the heart. They raked over his chest, leaving deep gouges that filled with blood. Roman fell against a pile, going limp as the light faded from his eyes. He could hear the squire scream and a deep rumble go through the cave, followed by running footsteps. Then, his eyes were closed and he knew no more.

When his eyes fluttered open, he found that he was in a different cave. The sounds of a fire could be heard somewhere off to the side, the smoke funneling through a hole in the ceiling. His armor was off, leaving him in only his under tunic and leggings. He could feel something pressing on his chest but didn’t see anything. Groaning, he tried to sit up, only for human hands to push him back down at the shoulders.

“If you don’t want to rip yourself in half you will stay lying down for the time being.” A voice that belonged to the hands said. The bed creaked and settled as the person sat on the edge of it, looking down into Roman’s face.

Roman looked back up at the person. A male in black clothing, a half cape edged in yellow wrapped around his shoulders. He had a hat on his head and half his face was concealed in shadows. “Who are you?” Roman managed to get out.

The man turned to look at him, his face still in shadows no matter the angle. “You can call me Janus.”

“What are you?” Slipped out before Roman could process that he was thinking it. It was a valid question as he never knew anyone who could manipulate shadows to do something like what he was seeing done.

Janus laughed. “Some call me a witch.” His answer was noncommittal, almost as if that wasn’t the full answer.

“Where am I? Where is the squire I brought with me?”

“When I found you, a wounded dragon was crouched next to your body. You looked dead even to an experienced healer like me. Your squire probably ran back to wherever you came from to tell your family of your joint demise. As for your location, you are still in the mountain, just in my personal chambers.”

Roman nodded, feeling sleep pull at him. He gave into the soft tugging, allowing his eyes to close and slumber to claim him once more. He spent the next three weeks recovering, at the end of which he was allowed to sit up and walk if he took it slow. It took him another few months to fully recover.

In that time, he found that he enjoyed Janus’ company and preferred the simple way of living in the caverns of the mountain to the extravagance of the castle. He learned his way around every nook and crevice, knowing where to sit for the best sunlight, where best to practice his sword skills. He learned the mountain as if it were the back of his hand and came to love it as home.

Within that time, it was also revealed that Janus was the dragon he had come to slay. Janus is a peaceful creature, capable of shifting between dragon form and human form. The only drawback is that, in human form, he still had to bear his scales on the left half of his face. There, his eye was still the molten gold rather than the warm brown of his human eye. His nostril was pointed and snakelike. He even had a fang on that side. When it was all explained that the village was the one to attack Janus first and he had simply gotten back what was his, Roman understood.

They lived in peace together for years, almost a decade when then the peace was interrupted. Roman had been tending the small farm they kept on the side of the mountain when a laugh rang out. It wasn’t Janus’ and Roman certainly hadn’t been laughing at the time so he looked around for the source of the noise. Janus came out onto the mountainside to stand beside Roman as they heard a different laugh ring out.

Eventually, three travelers came up the mountain. One had a black cloak that could have matched Janus’ capelet but covered a tunic of purple. Another was covered in a gray cloak with a tunic the color of the sky. The third was not wearing a cloak but a blue tunic that matched the color of a deep lake. They all came around the bend, the one in gray making yet another joke that caused the one in black to laugh, matching the second laugh that had rung out. 

Roman and Janus exchanged glances as they stood there, waiting to be noticed. It wasn’t long before the travelers saw them and stopped in their path. It was easy for Roman to look intimidating as his tunic had been discarded on such a hot day and his scars were on full display. They looked between Roman and Janus, taking in the shadows he had conjured to cover his scales even in direct sunlight and Roman’s scars that proved he had lived through some things.

The one rivaling a lake stepped forward and bowed. “Good sirs, as it is near dusk, might we beg shelter for the night? We have our own food, you will not have to worry about feeding us.”

Roman looked to Janus as he was the original owner of the house. Janus crossed his arms. “What are you doing on this mountain?”

“We are on our way to visit the monastery at the top, sir.”

Janus looked to Roman, who shrugged. “I don’t see why not as long as they watch out for Baby.”

Janus smirked, knowing Baby was Roman’s endearing term for Janus’ dragon form. “Of course, we wouldn’t want Baby to get hurt.”

The one rivaling the sky stepped forward. “Who is Baby?”

Janus smiled and Roman knew he was tempted to say, ‘I is Baby’ as he had said so often. Instead, he said, “Baby is another creature that lives in this cave system. You will treat him with respect if you ever come across him.”

All three solemnly nodded before they were ushered into the caves, the one in black releasing a sigh of relief. Roman moved to stoke the fire as Janus showed them an empty cave they could stay in for the night. Janus came back and Roman looked over at him, the shadows having been dropped to conserve energy.

“How do we want to go about this?” Roman asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, do we want to just mention Baby and never show him? Do we want as little contact as possible? Do we want to scare them with stories? What do we want to do?”

“I could conjure some minor illusions to have such things as heavy footsteps, scales against stone, seeing a tail out of the corner of the eye. I know you have been itching to have other people know some of the stories that have been trapped in your head for so long.”

“So, I scare them and you top it off? Sounds like a plan.”

That night, Roman had all three guests sitting around the fire before he started his story. “Tell me, do you know the tale of the mountain?”

The one in purple shook his head, bangs falling into his eyes but he made no move to fix them. The one dressed as the sky also shook his head, bouncing in his seat. Janus just looked on, enjoying how Roman’s eyes lit up as he dove into his tale.

“I swear it’s true.” He recounted how he set out, not speaking from where or his status, intent on slaying a dragon. As he spoke, he made gestures with his hands, having all four people engaged in the story. He spoke of the epic battle between himself and the dragon. “As my heart was set a-pounding, I saw that all that glitters isn't gold. For as I gazed upon the hoard of treasure lost to a collapsed cavern, a mighty dragon sat upon it.”

He recalled the battle, embellishing here and there to the point that Janus was described as having been able to use his witch powers in dragon form as well. He spoke of a fake cavern collapse, the treasure lost to time. When he was done, he repeated his beginning lines. “So tell me, do you know the tale of the mountain?”

This time, they nodded. Roman continued. “Tell me, do you hear the call of the mountain? Tell me, do you feel the soul of the mountain?” He reached out, hand connecting with the ground beneath them. “I swear it’s true.”

Janus smiled as the others clapped. The one looking like a lake didn’t clap, but stared intently at Roman. Finally, he spoke up. “My apologies sir but, did you happen to give us your name?”

Roman’s smile grew forced, fake. He knew how to hide his feelings behind smiles and could almost feel the all too familiar stone mask settle back into place as his face took on his polite company face. “Do, I did not happen to give you my name.”

The man nodded. “However, I do believe that we know you.”

“Oh? How so?”

“Do you happen to be from Initiomagna?”

“Yes. Are you also from there?”

“No, but I have happened to hear the story of the crown prince who went to slay a dragon but lost his life in the process. This left the kingdom bereft as the king and queen died from their grief and the younger prince took the throne. He has been ruling with an iron fist for nine years, wasting resources and draining the citizens of the land of every resource as he went to war with many neighboring countries.” He recalled the facts with such a flat voice one would think he was speaking of the weather instead of the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.

Janus quickly stood and held his hands out to Roman, who buried himself in his chest. Janus rubbed his back. “It’ll be alright. At first light we can set out and help, okay? For now we need to sleep.”

They didn’t have the energy to prank their guests that night as Janus was having a hard time convincing Roman to sleep instead of putting on his armor and murdering his brother. As it was, they ended up sparing with Janus in dragon form until Roman collapsed from exhaustion in the early hours of the morning.

Janus fed their guests breakfast and sent them on their way before gathering up any necessary supplies, this included getting traveling funds from the hoard. He then set up an illusion so no one could steal the hoard while he was gone. Once all that was done, he woke Roman and they were off, journeying to save the kingdom from a tyrant. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The name of the kingdom is an anagram of Imagination. Should I make a sequel from Remus' point of view or how Roman takes back the kingdom? Remus' birthday fic is not in the same universe.


	4. Soul of the Kingdom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second part to Roman's birthday fic. Once again, it is a song fic based off Tale of the Mountain by Spectral Heart on YouTube.

Roman stood, buckling his sword around his waist. “Janus, I know we should be getting to the castle today but is it really necessary to wear the full armor?”

Janus chuckled. “Why, it not fitting the way it used to?”

“No.” Roman pouted. “I just don’t see the point in alerting Remus to our arrival earlier than necessary.”

Janus moved around the rightful king, making sure everything fit right. “Half empty, half full doesn’t really matter. It’s a liquid, just drink it.” He muttered.

“What was that?”

“I said to count your blessings, kingling. Now, come on. We still have to get to the city by noon. If you are really that self-conscious about it, just put a cloak on.”

Roman did just that before they headed off. Just as Janus said, they arrived in the city by noon. Both had hoods up, Janus to hide his scales and Roman to hide his identity. As they walked through the streets, it was clear that the citizens were suffering. Clothing was threadbare, children were still and stared blankly instead of running amok in the streets. Beggars were on every street corner in a way Roman had never seen before. He had a hard time keeping his features schooled beneath the hood.

They approached a vendor and Roman went to pay the normal amount for the bread and cheese being provided. The woman almost cried. “It’s been a few years since I’ve seen that much money in one place, sir. You had best keep that purse well hidden or the street urchins might come after you.”

Roman smiled even as he pressed another coin into her hand. “Thank you for the sage advice. If I might trouble you for a bit more of your time, what happened here? A decade ago this was a flourishing kingdom. Now, it seems to barely be standing. Do you know of the events that lead to this?”

“You really don’t know what has happened?”

Roman shook his head, a sheepish smile crossing his face. “No, madam. I’m afraid I have been living under a literal rock for the past few years.”

She didn’t smile. “The firstborn son disappeared to fight a dragon. The ruling couple passed away upon hearing news of his death. Upon their death, the second son took the throne. King Remus has been ruling with an . . .” She leaned in conspiratorially. “An iron fist and then some. He squeezes the citizen dry of every coin they’ve got just to fund his lavish experiments. He keeps the population weak by forcing the men to serve a mandatory sentence in the fighting pits.” 

Roman nodded, sympathy beating in his heart for this woman. “I’m deeply sorry for what you have been put through. I will do everything in my power to make this right.”

Janus sighed from beside him. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

Roman shook his head. “I will keep this one or I will die trying.” His voice was as hard as his sword, the determination bolstering it and giving it volume.

Janus nodded. “I do believe you might as well give up the sneak attack then.” He eyed a pair of guards that were coming their way.

Roman turned to follow Janus’ line of sight, moving to stand between the guards and the woman. Making a shooing motion with his hand behind him, he let the woman know it would be best for her to escape now. She took the advice and scurried away. The guards approached, faces masks of stone.

“Lower your hoods!” One said upon arriving.

Roman smirked and moved it just enough to mess with them without actually revealing his face. He cast his voice a few octaves lower than it already was, not wanting his voice to give him away. “What are your views on the current political climate?”

Janus elbowed him. “Ignore my friend, he was the village idiot.”

“Sure in a village of two.” Roman shot back.

The other guard held up her hand. “We serve the throne.”

Roman nodded, throwing his hood all the way off, blocking out Janus’ protests and claims of Roman’s idiocy. “Good. What if you were told I am the rightful heir to the throne.”

The first guard seemed taken aback as they blinked. “Do you have any proof of this?”

Roman sighed, hands going to his hips. “My face is literally identical to the current king’s. Is that proof enough?”

“Sorcery!” The female guard spat the word like it was a shard of glass in her mouth. “Tell us something only royalty would know.”

Roman sighed, hanging his head briefly before giving Janus a look that said _can you believe these two_. “Are you royalty?” They both shook their heads. “How can I prove something if you don’t even know the answer to that. I can answer it and it’s that the chandelier in the stairwell is very tempting to swing off no matter how old I get.”

The guards exchanged looks. “I mean, no random civilian normally sees that part of the castle so it makes sense.”

Janus sighed, leaning to mutter into Roman’s ear. “These two are idiots. Let’s just keep moving.”

Roman simply patted his arm and stood there, smile still on his face. It was almost ridiculous how easy it was to slip back into the polite mask of stone he hadn’t had to use for almost a decade. After another few minutes of deliberation, the guards reentered the conversation. “So, we have decided to trust you. How can we help, my liege?” They both bowed.

Roman nodded. “The first course of action would be to get into the castle. After that, we can try to turn the rest of the guard to me. With them, we can overthrow the tyrant who calls himself my brother.”

The guards nodded and began leading the way. “Well, that was easier than I thought it would be.” Janus said in a voice low enough that only Roman could hear it.

Roman laughed. “Justice always has a way of prevailing!”

They made their way into the castle easily enough. Soon, Roman realized a key thing but it was too late. Almost as soon as he realized that the guards were not, in fact, leading them toward the guard room or training ground, they were already arriving at the throne room.

Remus’ voice allowed them entry and Janus and Roman were delivered practically into his lap, much to his delight. Roman glared at the guards. “I thought you trusted me! I trusted you!”

Janus pinched his side. “You are not helping your case. Shut up and act your age.” He hissed into his ear.

Roman turned, unsheathing his sword as he ripped off his gauntlet, throwing it to the floor. The whole room went still as the gauntlet skittered across the ground before it came to rest at Remus’ feet. He snarled and looked down at it. “What is the meaning of this?”

Roman bared his teeth. “You know exactly what it is, brother.” He spat the word like a curse. “I challenge you to a fight to the death.”

Remus laughed. “You can’t be serious? You disappear to fight a dragon, have news of your death be brought back by the poor squire, kill our parents, and now you want to be back and take the throne like nothing happened? Come, now, Roman,” his name sounded sour coming from him, as if it had been too long since it had been said. “You honestly can’t be that naïve?” He tilted his head as if the answer should be obvious.

Roman shook his head. “You have defiled the kingdom with your greed and hatred. I have had to come to stop you from continuing the destruction.”

Remus’ hands move down to his hips, one hand resting on the handle of his morning star. “We used to be so close, brother. Whatever happened to our bond?”

“You’re stalling for time. Either accept the challenge or turn it down like the coward you are.”

Remus snarled, goaded into snatching up the gauntlet. “Fine. But I get to pick the time and place.” He deliberated with the counselors around him for a minute. “The training yard. High noon tomorrow.”

Roman nodded. “I assume you are willing to house me and my companion for the night, correct?”

“Of course, brother.” His voice was as sickly sweet as honey. “I assume you still remember the way to your room? You will only be requiring one room, yes?”

Roman just nodded as he led Janus away, glaring at Remus over his shoulder until the door shut behind them. He found his room easily enough, having walked the same path for decades of his life. Janus let his cloak drop to the floor as soon as the door was closed behind them. “You could not have been more of an idiot today, Roman.”

Roman moved forward, cupping Janus’ cheeks in his hands. “I’ve finally found something to keep the fire inside me alive. If that means going to my death on some so called pointless venture then so be it.” He released the dragon witch as he spun around, hands gesturing at the room that was kept in the same condition he had left it in. “The only time I felt alive was on the battlefield or training ground before I met you. So,” He turned to Janus, hand held out, “Will you be my dragon?”

Janus chuckled. “So long as you be my knight. You know I would follow you to the ends of the earth.” He placed his hand in Roman’s and let him spin them around the room for a bit before insisting they go to sleep.

As they slept, Roman dreamt. Within the dream, his imagination granted him the chance to control his world. Using it, he puzzled out every outcome of the fight he knew would take place. He knew how Remus fought but Remus also knew how Roman fought. Roman had no idea if Remus had picked up different techniques but knew he himself had. He’d quickly adapted a whole different fighting style out of necessity while sparring with Janus. He knew how to sweep his leg in ways Remus would not see coming, knew how to change his speed and angle faster than the human eye could see. 

Confident he had the fight down and knew how to win, his dreams settled into memories of the old times, when his mother still smiled when he brought her his works, even though they were filled with clichés. The times when Remus was still willing to play with him in any game they could come up with. The time their father was willing to climb the tallest elm tree in the courtyard with them just to make sure they didn’t fall. If a tear slipped out in his sleep, neither commented on it the next morning.

Roman strapped himself into his armor, grabbing his sword and shield. Janus stood in front of him, handing him a piece of paper. Roman moved to unfold it but was stopped before he could. “Don’t. There is an ancient prayer written on it. In the case of your success and continued life, you are to open it and read it aloud. If you are to fail and die, it is to be buried with you, never to be opened. The prayer will guide you to the afterlife.”

“Why must I read it aloud if I live?” He stuffed it into a safe crevice in his chest plate.

“It is to release the prayer and the magic it comes with back to the earth.” Roman nodded and shifted to move away but Janus kept a firm hold on him. “Promise me one thing, my knight?”

Roman let his hand cover Janus’. “Anything, my dragon.”

“Do not go quietly into the night, but rage against the dying of the light. Don’t give up easily, fight against your death should it arrive to take you.”

Roman nodded, both ignoring the tears streaming down their cheeks. “I will try to find a way back to you, no matter the cost. I am an unstoppable force, remember?”

“Yes, but your brother seems to be an immovable object. Just be careful out there.”

“Always.” Before he could stop himself, he was heading out the door to the training ground. He stretched as he did before every spar session with Janus but didn’t practice. He simply sat on a bench in the shade and waited for the inevitable thought to hit him. The thought that must not have crossed the minds of many others in history. The thought that he had three outcomes for this. He could be killed by his own brother, he could be forced to kill his own brother, or he could exile the same brother. 

He took a deep breath, slipping into a familiar meditation that Janus had taught him a few years back. Before he knew it, a fist was knocking against his knee and he was jolted out of his meditation to be face to face with Remus. “Hiya, brother dear.” Remus grinned.

Roman nodded, not letting his composure slip. “Is it time already, Remus?”

Remus nodded, “Yep. Just like old times, ain’t it?”

Roman stood, hefting his sword into his hand. “As I recall, we were not trying to kill each other the last time we sparred.”

Remus hesitated. “Maybe you weren’t.” He swung his morning star in a wide, sweeping arc. 

They fell into battle stance and, at the sound of a horn, they began. They circled for a bit, sizing each other up and seeing how the body language has changed in the past decade. Diving forward, Remus, ever the impatient one, was the first to strike.

Being used to Janus’ tail swipes, Roman jumped the blow with ease as he landed an answering one on the top of Remus’ helmet. He spun, going over his brother’s back until they were facing and circling once again. Roman attacked in quick succession. He used his shield to block Remus’ next strike as he aimed for the unprotected side.

It went high and to the left, striking near Remus’ heart. He dropped to the ground, weapon falling out of his hand. Tears gathered in Roman’s eyes, obscuring his vision. “Remus, do you yield?”

Remus could only groan, even as Roman asked again in a choked voice. “Remus, do you yield?!”

A third time, it was a plea and a prayer, not a question. “Remus, please yield!” His sword was pointed at his brother’s neck, poised ready to plunge forward and end his misery if he did not yield.

After the third time Roman spoke, Remus responded. It was forced, and sounded more painful than anything Roman had ever heard, but it was an answer “Yes.”

Roman dropped his sword, reaching to cradle his younger brother in his arms, screaming for a doctor, screaming for Janus. Soon, the dragon witch was on the scene, magic crackling at his fingertips as he slammed his palms into Remus, knitting the torn flesh together but leaving a scar that went the whole way through the torso. Once the healing was complete, Janus sat back on his heels, exhaustion plaguing his every movement.

Roman reached out a hand to Janus, the other still holding the now unconscious Remus. “Thank you, my friend. Thank you.”

Janus only nodded. “The prayer.”

“Right!” Digging out the sheet of paper, Roman opened it and read aloud, voice ringing across the courtyard. “May the peace of the tallest mountain and the peace of the smallest stone be your peace. May the stillness of the stars watch over you. May the everlasting music of the wave lull you to rest.”

Janus sighed in the way Roman had come to associate with a release of magic back into the environment. 

Remus did not wake that day, nor the next. When he did wake, Roman had no choice but to banish him from the kingdom, never to return to the land of his birth. Remus was gone within the week. Janus and Roman transferred the hoard of treasure to the castle, using it to rebuild the kingdom and get the people back to prosperity.

Under the reign of King Roman, the kingdom of Initiomagna prospered for many years to come.


	5. The Scholar and the Swashbuckler

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remus' birthday fic.  
> Romantic Lomus

Logan sat at his desk. He was supposed to be going over the texts in front of him but he couldn’t focus. Instead, he was staring at the candle in front of him, watching the flame burn lower in the wax, dwindling ever closer to the pin placed in the side. He glanced toward the bank of windows surrounding this side of the tower room, wondering if he was going to be early.

Alas, he was right on time as usual. Just as the pin dropped from the wax to the iron beneath it, a tap on a window sounded. Logan stood quickly, pushing his chair back, and rushed to the window. He opened it, careful not to hit the intruder.

Remus hopped down from the ledge and into the room, landing in a crouch before straightening as Logan closed the window behind him. “Well, hello there!” He grinned.

Logan crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. “You continuously surprise me by not getting caught.”

“Oh, you’d love to see me in chains, wouldn’t you?” His eyes scanned Logan, from the mop of hair on his head to his spectacles down the robes that designated his role as palace scribe and down to the sandals on his feet.

Logan rolled his eyes but didn’t comment. “How was your trip?” He asked instead. He pushed off from the wall, walking over to his desk to multitask.

Remus sat on an empty portion of the desk that Logan would deny cleaning off specifically for the pirate to sit cross legged on. “It was great! We found a bunch of new stuff! I even managed to get you something!”

Logan huffed a fond sigh. “Found or stole?”

Remus put a hand to his chest, his open shirt flaring around the splayed fingers. “How dare you?! I bring you a gift and you accuse me of being a measly pirate?”

Logan looked up at him now, the windswept hair framing his face and giving it a softer look that only appeared around Logan. “I did not accuse you of being a pirate, I was simply asking for clarification on your adventures. Did you find your bounty, or did you steal it?”

“We found it in the holds of other pirate ships who raided merchant ships. What of it?”

Another fond sigh, this one tinged with exasperation. “That’s fine Now, what do you have for me? Please tell me it isn’t another human heart? Or any bodily organ.”

“Oh, Seafoam. You know you already have my heart.” Remus pulled his legs down to swing against the side of the desk, making a rhythmic thumping that was rather calming, all things considered. He reached into his coat and pulled out an ornate dagger. 

Logan took it, examining both sheath and blade. The leather was finely tooled, swirls embedded in it. The handle of the dagger was inset with gems around the hilt. Pulling the blade free, he saw it was already sharpened and looked wickedly dangerous. Looking back up at the pirate captain sitting on his desk, Logan smiled. “It’s gorgeous.”

Remus laughed. “Good. Run away with me.”

Logan shook his head. “You ask this every time you get into port.”

“And every time you don’t give me an answer. Why do you insist on staying on this one piece of land? The ocean is wide, vast, and deep! You can go as far as you want, leave civilization behind you for good if you wanted to!”

“What if I don’t want to forsake the company of people for the company of a rabble of half rabid animals?” Logan steepled his fingers and rested his chin on his thumbs, elbows propped on the table. His work lay forgotten in front of him.

Remus sighed, throwing his head back. “Haven’t you ever wanted to sail as far as you could? To see the world through free eyes? Not have to worry about rules or time schedules and just let yourself drift on the open ocean, no land in sight?”

Logan smiled. “It does sound tempting. However, I do have duties here I must attend to.”

Remus looked at him, hair and hat flopping into his eye. “Buzzkill.”

Logan leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “Daredevil.” He leaned back, trying to focus on his work. “I don’t understand how you can stand their company for long. I mean, your first mate is fine enough, a polite if young man. But that other one, the burned one? He rubs me the wrong way. I don’t know what it is, but I don’t like him.”

“Virgil is sweet, yes. And Janus? I can kick him off if you really want.” Remus’ eyes turned pleading. “Come _on_ , my north star, what’s it going to take to get you to come with me? How long has it been since you’ve been on a real adventure? I need to get some wanderlust in your veins. You need to get the salt in your lungs.”

Logan pretended to think it over. “I have to say, I’ve been meaning to stretch my legs for a bit.”

“Wa-hoooo!” Remus crowed as he threw his hat in the air. He leaned forward and kissed Logan on the lips. “You want me to help you pack?”

Logan laughed at the enthusiasm. “No, I can do it. How about you sit there and tell me more about your trip while I get ready, huh?”

It wasn’t long before they were sneaking down the stairs, Remus not wanting to hurt Logan by going down the rope he had on the outside of the tower. Logan paused long enough to leave a note that he would be out of town for a few days. Then, they were gone. Flying down the steps and vanishing into the mist.


	6. Birthday Cake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Virgil tries to make something special for Logan’s birthday but it seems fate has other ideas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Established married Analogical. Tooth rotting fluff.

Virgil glared at the upper cabinets, cursing the height of his husband who loved to cook. He knew the benefits of having the cabinets set for the taller one’s comfort but was still allowed to be annoyed by the height. Grabbing a step stool, he climbed onto the counter before reaching for the dish he’d wanted to use.

Laughter sounded behind him and he turned to see said husband leaning on the door jamb, a smile on his face and gym bag in hand. Virgil crossed his arms. “What?”

Logan's laughter died down a bit before he just smiled, moving to lean against the counter instead of standing in the doorway. “You look ridiculous.”

Virgil stuck his tongue out at him, lowering himself to sit on the counter instead of stand. “Oh, you know you love me.”

Logan nodded, coming to stand between his legs. “That I do. Now, what were you trying to do?”

Virgil huffed, letting his hands travel up his husband’s arms to lock his wrists behind the man’s neck. “I was going to try to make a cake for your birthday.”

Logan laughed, marveling at just how much flour Virgil had managed to get on himself. “It looks more like you tried to make yourself into a cake.”

Virgil pushed his chest playfully, not hard enough to make Logan think he was serious. “Be nice to me!”

Logan dipped his head down until it was resting on top of Virgil’s. “Thank you, Beloved, but you do realize we normally get one from the store, right?”

Virgil sighed. “Yeah, but I wanted to make something special for you. After all, it’s the first birthday since we tied the knot. I wanted to make it memorable.”

Logan chuckled, a warm sound that always made Virgil relax. “It’s already memorable, darling. I’ve got you and that’s all I need.”

Virgil glared at him. “You’re just saying that because you think I’d burn the cake.”

Logan’s chuckle turned to a giggle to a full on laugh. “Okay, maybe.” He said when he finally got breath back. “But that doesn’t make me love you any less.”

Virgil pouted, pulling his hands down into his lap. “I see how it is.”

Logan took that opportunity to scoop his small husband into a bridal carry, causing the flour covered emo to shriek. Logan’s laugh rumbled through his chest as he sat down on the couch, Virgil on his lap. Logan curled one arm tighter around his husband while grabbing the TV remote with his other hand. Turning on a movie, he wrapped both arms around Virgil. “Watch this with me?”

Virgil wanted to snuggle into the love of his life’s chest but he paused. “What about all of this?” he gestured to the powder covering him.

Logan took one look at him and reached to grab the throw blanket. Wrapping it around Virgil, he pulled him down against him again. He kissed the top of his head. “There, no excuses now.”

Virgil smiled, feeling warm and safe, and curled against the only person he couldn’t live without. Soon, they were engrossed in the movie and each other.


	7. Late Night Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> U.S. Marshal AU where Virgil and Remus are in charge of protecting Logan, a scientist who witnessed the death of his father, Judge Roman Prince. This portion is mainly fluff but I might try to expand on the idea later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Virgil's Birthday fic.

Virgil held a cup of coffee, decaf as that was all that Remus had gotten, as he entered the safe house living room, soft music filling the room. “Shouldn’t you be asleep by now?” He asked the scientist he was supposed to be protecting.

Logan looked up, his eyes focusing on the clock. “It’s only eleven.” He shrugged as he moved his attention back to the paper on his lap.

Virgil sighed and walked closer to see what he was working on. “What are you calculating now?”

“The efficiency of the food replicators from  _ Star Trek _ .” Logan said it as if it were the most normal thing in the world. 

Virgil laughed. “What, I banned actual work so you’ve turned to this?”

Logan nodded as Virgil sat in the chair nearby. The scientist's legs were thrown over the arm rest as he leaned against the back, the pages he was working on situated on his lap with a notebook beneath for stability. He seemed to be in thought for a moment, his feet swinging slightly. “Would it be possible to go on a run tomorrow morning?”

Virgil tilted his head in confusion. “That’s a bit of short notice you know. It’s also kind of dangerous. Did you forget you’re in Witness Protection right now?”

Logan nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. “I know. It’s just . . . I’m getting antsy being cooped up in the house for a while. I thought a morning run would be nice. Besides, we’re in the middle of the woods. It’s a calculated risk but I figured there’s a higher chance of me breaking my ankle tripping on a root than there is a sniper managing to get all the way out here and set up a perfect shot on an impromptu run.”

Virgil nodded, absentmindedly running his nails up and down his thigh. “Okay, I think we can do that, yeah. Just remember that I set the pace and you stay by my side the whole time.”

Logan smiled in a way that always made Virgil lose his train of thought for a second. “That’s fine, I just need out of here for a half hour or so.”

Virgil shook his head slightly before standing, his cup empty and cold. “Alright, meet me in the kitchen at eight.”

Logan stuck out a socked foot to block his path. Virgil gently pinched the toes but stopped to listen. “Why eight?”

“I’ve still gotta do a patrol and map out the path. Why, were you expecting to go sooner?”

Logan shrugged. “I don’t know.” Virgil nodded, understanding the need to simply know information, and patted the foot before he went to bed. 

True to his word, Virgil walked into the kitchen at eight sharp. Logan was already there, swirling a green liquid in his water bottle. Virgil leaned against the doorframe, a smile teasing at the corners of his lips. “Should I be concerned about that?”

Logan looked over his shoulder and shook his head. “No, it’s just a homemade energy drink.”

Virgil nodded. “Okay, shall we get going?”

They both walked to the front door, Virgil leaving first to check the surroundings. He got a thumbs up from Remus and a few of the other people in charge of this witness and gave one back before ushering Logan out and to the trail he’d picked out. Remus darted into the house as they turned a corner but Virgil paid it no mind.

They started on the trail that looped around the property, taking a winding path through the forested area on a path that was barely there. Virgil made sure Logan stayed by his side, never speeding past or dropping behind his charge. They took breaks only in the most heavily forested part of their path, letting Logan stop for rest and sips of his drink while Virgil scanned the surrounding area and, at the scientist’s insistence, taking a few gulps of the energy drink that didn’t taste that bad.

It was a half hour before they made it back to the house. Virgil checked that Remus had the house secure before he made a beeline for the shower. He heard Logan call him into the living room when he got out so he hung the towel around his neck and made his way over. The scientist’s voice didn’t sound too hurried so he wasn’t too concerned with his gun, leaving himself in just sweat pants and a tee shirt.

He flicked the light on in the living room to reveal the half of the team that was off duty standing with Remus, Logan, and a bunch of cupcakes. Virgil smiled and leaned against the doorframe, crossing his ankles. “What’s all this?”

“Surprise?” Logan said, spreading his arms just a bit.

Virgil chuckled and shook his head, walking forward to pick up a cupcake. “No, seriously, what’s all this for?”

Remus scoffed playfully. “Pat said this would happen. Did you forget your own birthday again?”

Virgil froze, the cupcake halfway out of the wrapper. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he checked his calendar and found that his birthday hadn’t even been marked. “Oh, what does your husband know about my birthday?” He sat down on the couch and proceeded to continue unwrapping the treat.

Remus smacked the back of Virgil’s head and dispersed the team to get some rest. “He should know enough about you, being your brother and all.”

Logan laughed and took a cupcake, tearing off the bottom, inverting it, and sticking it to the top to eat like a sandwich. Virgil was always amused by Logan’s peculiar way of doing things and this instance was no exception.

Their miniature party continued for a few more minutes before Virgil got a call and went to answer it, talking to Thomas about the trial of the killer. He holed up in the study and didn’t come out for a while, not even acknowledging when someone brought him lunch.

Eventually, Remus came in and draped himself over the couch. “Talk to me, emo.”

Virgil sighed, leaning back in the office chair. “They say they’re going to house Logan in base housing until the trial as soon as this guy is caught but they haven’t told me where or even which base yet. HOw do they expect me to do my job if I don’t even have the basic information?”

“Maybe they don’t know where to put him just yet, just that they have to put him somewhere and a base sounds like the best option.” Remus shifts so his legs were thrown over the back of the couch and his head was pointed at the floor. “How about you take the night off and watch a movie with our charge? I know you like him.”

Virgil scoffed. “And how do you know that?”

“Because I know you, I know how you act and what your facial expressions mean. I’ve seen you do and say things you would never have been caught dead saying before you met the crazy little genius. So, why not take a chance and ask him out?”

“Why? I don’t know, maybe it’s that his father was just recently killed on my watch, that he’s under my care, that I don’t want to make the wrong assumption that he likes me back and be in an awkward position for the foreseeable future? Would you like any more reasons, I’ve got plenty?”

Remus nodded, swivelling to sit upright. “All good reasons to be a coward.” Virgil spluttered but Remus kept going. “Don’t you remember me doing a very similar thing when I wanted to ask Patton out? How I thought up all the reasons why I shouldn’t ask him out? He’s my partner’s brother, what if he doesn’t like my profession, what if he doesn’t like me back and we’re forced to see each other constantly due to both of us being so close to you, how he’s a mortician and he might not like me being shot up all the time? Do you remember telling me to go for it anyways, that you’re positive he likes me back?”

Virgil grumbled but nodded. “Okay, okay, I get it. I’ll ask him after dinner.”

Remus smiled and bounced to his feet. “Good. I’ll hold you to it.” With that, he was out the door and down the hall, probably going to call his husband.

Virgil sighed and turned his attention back to the paperwork that went into running a safe house. A few minutes later, a knock at the door sounded and brought him out of his thoughts. Looking up, he found Logan standing there with a sketchbook in hand. Virgil put down the pen he’d been twirling and gave his focus to Logan. “Did you need something? His voice was soft, an almost fond edge to it.

Logan shrugged. “I don’t feel like being alone right now.”

Virgil understood that so left the witness to the couch and tried to focus on his paperwork. They sat in silence for a few more hours as they both worked through their separate activities. Remus came in with food, some sort of asian meal that he refused to tell the name of but was quite good, before leaving them to their evening with the promise of doing the perimeter patrol.

They finished their meal and Virgil took care of the plates while Logan picked out a movie to watch together. It began with them curled up on opposite sides of the couch but as the movie progressed, Logan seemed to shift closer and closer to Virgil’s side. When the marshal lifted his arm to rest on the back of the couch, Logan all but dove into his side. They both froze for a second before Logan asked, “Is this okay?”

Virgil smiled, curling the arm down around his side and letting it rest on his hip. “Yeah, it’s alright. May I ask what brought it on? The movie isn’t scary enough to feel the need to seek comfort.”

Logan smiled sheepishly. “I may have overheard your conversation with Remus earlier in the day.”

Virgil tilted his head. “Are you trying to tell me you feel the same?”

Logan nodded, letting out a tense breath and relaxing into Virgil’s side. “I’m not the best at expressing my emotions but yes, I like you too.”

Virgil’s smile gained a note of confidence. He leaned down, movie forgotten. “May I kiss you?” His voice barely came out louder than a whisper as he locked eyes with Logan.

The man curled in his arms smiled and leaned up to meet him. “Please do.”


End file.
